


Trust

by TheTurksPajamas



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Major Character Injury, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Really Character Death, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:41:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTurksPajamas/pseuds/TheTurksPajamas
Summary: Reno recalls the incident that solidified his trust in his, at the time, new partner. A short fluffy backstory builder.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	Trust

AVALANCHE had hidden a stockpile of weapons and other equipment pilfered from Shinra storehouses in a warehouse out towards the end of the Sector 3 slums. They were desperate to keep it. So desperate in fact, that if there was any chance it would be lost, the guards had been given orders to introduce explosives and blow the whole thing. If they couldn’t keep it, Shinra wasn’t getting it back.

That last part was the only detail the Turks weren’t aware of as they and a small amount of Shinra infantry began taking out the guards. One slipped away, bolting up the hill towards the aforementioned warehouse and Reno made chase with Rude right behind him while their comrades secured the captured. The man slipped through one of the barn style doors and ran towards the back of the single open area, stopping next to the crates stacked high. The pair both saw it at the same time. Just after Reno made it through the doorway, the man turned, grenade in one shaking hand, pin in the other. He had stopped directly in front of a crate with the unmistakable markings of Shinra ammunition and now stood stock still, staring at them. Past them? They couldn’t say.

  
“Reno!”

Reno skidded to a halt, but he wouldn’t be able to get out of the way in time. He heard his name called from behind him and then hands were on him, hauling him back and through the air. Before he hit the ground, he heard the explosion, felt the heat of the flames, and felt it propel him even further. He rolled and landed in a heap, covering his head. Once the initial blast of Hellfire had died down to where it felt safe enough to open his eyes, he did so and rolled to all fours.

  
The outer walls of the warehouse were intact, but only just. He could see that the inside was now a veritable fire ball, and there was no way the guard was still alive. He likely wouldn’t have been either if he had been where he was standing a moment ago. The doors had been blown off the hinges and debris were scattered all around him. And then... Rude. Where was Rude? He scanned the area and found him, farther back from the warehouse than he was, laying lifeless on his side. After he had thrown Reno back from the blast, the still closed door had slammed into him with the force of the explosion, throwing him back and halting his heart.

  
“No, no. Nononono-” Reno said aloud, but couldn’t hear. He crawled over to his partner, only vaguely aware of the bits of glass cutting through his slacks and into his knees. He pulled Rude over onto his back and tapped his cheek, calling his name and shaking his shoulder. No response. Harder then, calling louder. Nothing.

  
“Shit!”

  
He tried to calm himself and think back to first aid training. He held his fingers in front of Rude’s mouth, but he wasn’t breathing. So, he had to do CPR, right? He tilted Rude’s head back and started chest compressions. He counted to thirty and then blew two lung fulls of air into him. He was going through the second round of compressions as he was mentally pleading with Rude to wake up. ‘Come on, man. We’ve only been partners for 4 months. I was just starting to trust you a little bit. You can’t save my life and then die, you ass-hole!”

  
As he was going through the third round, his hearing started to come back, and he could hear the roaring of the flames and his own ragged breath.

  
“-eno… Reno!”

  
He barely registered Tseng sprinting over to them and sliding to a knee on the other side of Rude until he took up position for compressions as Reno continued rescue breaths. During the next round, Rude’s body lurched and he came back to consciousness, rolling to his side and gasping for breath. Reno slumped backwards and looked at Tseng, and as he could see the glow of the burning warehouse on his face and reflected in his dark eyes, he waited for his verbal pink slip. All that came was a nod and “You alright?”

  
“Yeah, Stretch. Fuckin’ peachy.” He collapsed to his back, breathing hard and trying not to think about how close that was. Some other Shinra grunts collected near them and they started to deal with the aftermath. The warehouse was a wash, but it wasn’t as big of a loss for Shinra as it was for AVALANCHE. They were all still alive, that was what mattered. It was a huge amount of gil lost, but as far as Veld was concerned it wasn’t enough to warrant such a sacrifice, and he argued the fact that the enemy didn’t have the stockpile as mission accomplished. They received some choice words from higher up, but that was all. And aside from some singed hair and a few cuts and bruises, their side had no major injuries. Later, back at HQ, Rude would grab Reno by the elbow and pull him in for a hug. He then stepped back, clearing his throat. He instead settled on sticking out his hand for a handshake which Reno tentatively accepted.

  
“Thank you.” Rude said with a furrow in his brow. His shades had been lost in the blast and Reno got the full effect of his intense expression.

  
“For what?”

  
“For saving my life.”

  
“Only after you saved mine. I woulda been toast if you hadn’t hucked me like a sandbag.”

“Still.”  


“…… Yeah. You too, partner.” Reno broke away, shoved his hands into his pockets to try and hide the fact that they never quite stopped shaking and started walking towards the elevators.

  
“Besides, didn’t want it to be like in the movies, y’ know? If you died, I’d be cursed and anyone they gave me would die early and it’d fuckin’ suck. You want food? I’m hungry.”

  
Rude smiled to himself. Of course, he’d try and cover it with bravado, but that was the first time he had actually called Rude ‘partner’ out loud. “Yeah, partner. It’s on me.”

  
\-------

  
They sat years later, soaking in the tub after work, and after-work drinks. Reno’s back to Rude’s chest as the latter’s fingertips traced designs between the small scars on Reno’s knee where it protruded from the water, and the full memory of that day had come flooding back. Not that he had forgotten, but so much had happened between them now. He hadn’t felt like he could tell Rude how he was feeling then, not quite yet. But now he did. He was feeling oddly like talking about things he didn’t usually dwell on. He told himself that it was the alcohol.

  
“Those're from the day I decided I could really trust you. You turned my damn world upside down.”

  
“Because I threw you?” Rude chuckled.

  
“Yeah. I mean, kinda.” Reno said with a smile. If he could have told himself back when he was 17 or 18 that he would be spilling his guts out to anyone like this, he would’ve asked what he was high on. “My whole life, I never really depended on anyone, even at the home. There were so many other kids that needed more. And when I was on my own, there was always someone trying to take advantage of someone else. Too much trust could get you robbed or killed, and I was just trying to survive. Until I joined up and met you, I’d never _really_ trusted anyone.”

  
Rude stayed quiet for a moment, wanting to be sure Reno was done before he said anything. As if he were to interrupt, the words might go spooling back in and it would be like he never said them. It wasn’t often that he spoke about his past in this way. Rude knew more or less how it had gone, but Reno was usually so positive about it, about everything. It was what it was, and he had made the best of it. He just listened and continued caressing his knee. Reno turned slightly and slid down a bit so he could nuzzle his face into Rude’s neck.

  
“You were good and kind to me before that, but when you saved me that day and almost… It was building up slowly before that, but then it was like a switch went on. A different, weird feeling I never had before then.” But it was also more than that day. It was about Reno not knowing how to use a bank account or pay bills after his first paycheck with Shinra and Rude explaining it to him and not making him feel like an idiot. It was about Rude caring for him but not treating him like an infant. And likewise, for Rude it was Reno actually caring about if he was hurt and not assuming he was fine since he was big and looked tough. Reno being able to read his micro expressions and them almost being able to read the other’s minds. It was about countless things that they had done for and seen each other through over the years that very little people cared to do. Reno didn’t know if Rude even realized, but it was only after that incident that he started being comfortable falling asleep around him.

  
Reno sighed heavily and Rude started stroking his hair with the hand that wasn’t busy with his knee. “I just couldn’t let that happen. I would’ve done the same if I had to do it over.” His hand moves down to gently brush his knuckles over Reno’s ear, cradle and caress his jaw. He feels Reno’s breathing change, slowing. “…… Are you falling asleep?”

  
“…..mmmm….”

  
“… Reno?”

  
“……..maybe.”

  
“Do you want to get up so we can go to bed instead of sleeping in the cold bathtub?”

  
“…No.” Rude feels Reno’s lashes against his neck as he opens his eyes. “Yes.”

  
Rude takes his lover to bed and they curl around each other, as per the usual, both taking comfort in the other’s presence and their touch. The specific warmth, and the mixture of scents that created the one unmistakably belonging to the other. The unshakable trust that they have for one another, only being deepened by this extra aspect of their relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first posting on here, with more to come. It is very short, but I wanted the first one I posted to be a bit smaller anyway. Please tell me what you think! I'm open to constructive criticism and love to read comments. Thank you for reading ^__^


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